Bougainville ire raised over delayed Joint Supervisory Body meeting

Bougainville is furious that it is being blamed for another deferral of a meeting of the Joint Supervisory Body, which oversees the relationship between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville.

It was due to go ahead on Monday but was deferred until Wednesday, 8 May with the Minister for the Bougainville Independence Mission, Ezekiel Masatt, saying this request came from PNG Prime Minister James Marape.

He says he is disturbed by a statement from Marape that Bougainville had sought a delay.

Masatt said Bougainille was ready and the National Government wasn’t.

The meeting is expected to be critical because the nature of the tabling of the Bougainville independence referendum in the national parliament is the main issue concerning the Bougainville Government.

This concern centres on the vote that the PNG government will seek.

PNG Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Manessah Makiba, is demanding an absolute majority of MPs support the tabling, but at this stage of the process the Bougainville government is seeking a simple majority.